Some idea of the spraying operation in 1927 can be obtained from a letter 

 by James Purrington, County Agricultural Agent in Rockingham County to H. A. 

 Rollins, Extension Horticulturist at that time. This letter contains a report 

 on a spray ring organized in 1926 and operating in the to\^m of Atkinson. One 

 paragraph is as follows: "VJe did spraying for 23 persons outside the ring and 

 sprayed 800 outside trees. In the ring there were approximately 600 trees 

 sprayed. Including members of the ring 12 person sprayed once, 13 twice and 

 5 three times. Some of us intended to spray the fourth time but did not get 

 to it personally I shall try to spray five times this coming season adding 

 the pre-pink and the three weeks after calyx to the ones put on this year as 

 scab and railroad worm developed in my Mcintosh in storage." 



Apparently the effectiveness of the program was not satisfactory and 

 the importance of additional applications was recognized by the growers. 

 Commercial growers were more consistent in their spray program and produced a 

 higher percentage of clean fruit than did the small growers. 



There were 20 insects and diseases listed in the 1928 spray program: 

 apple maggot, plum curculio, codling moth ard scab were the most serious pests 

 and still are in our orchards today. Browntailed moth, apple curculio, red bug 

 and Brook's spot are seldom seen today. European red mite was first discovered 

 in the Parker Orchards in Lyndeboro in 1928. Leaf roller, two spotted and yellow 

 mites are new pests that have appeared in the past 30 years. 



Progress has certainly been made in pest control. The new materials and 

 better equipment has taken much of the gamble out of this most important orchard 

 practice. 



•E. J. Rasmussen 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 

 POMOLOGICAL PARAGRAPHS 



Red Stele Again 



"Sparkle strawberry plants were found infected with red stele in two 

 fields on a farm in Falmouth. Since Sparkle is resistant to the A strain 

 of red stele, this indicates that there are at least two strains in these 

 fields. This is the second place in which more than one strain of red 

 stele has been located in Massachusetts. This is another indication that 

 the disease is spreading and that growers should be especially careful about 

 the source of their planting stock. Never forget that a field once infested 

 will remain so for 18 to 20 years." 



Diuron as a Weed Killer in Cultivated Blueberries 



For several years a weed killer called C.M.U. has been on the market. 

 It has recently been renamed Monuron. Although it is a good weed killer 

 for many purposes, it is a little too potent for safe use on all varieties 

 of blueberries. 



